Dream of Add to Cart or Buy Now Buttons

It was time for me to bite the bullet. I had to add payment buttons to both of my web sites (Miller's Wrapped Expression and Clip Art by Miller) because it simply wouldn't do for prospects to click "Contact" to order something. So began my search and research for payment buttons.

I initially tried adding buttons from Google gadgets. This was total ignorance on my part because where would the money go? There was no account set up. After a couple of weeks pondering options (realizing - of course - that I am no web master and don't know HTML from any other coding therefore scared to death of screwing up something), it suddenly dawned on me that I have a Paypal account. Duh.

I started with "Buy Now". The Paypal instructions said to create a description, type in pricing, click the "get code" button, copy and paste the coding into the HTML code of my web page. Easy enough. Instead of typing out a description for each candy bar, I simply clicked on the sample candy wrapper picture, clicked "properties" and copied the description. Not the entire picture link but the simple description like "lion_crouching". Then I headed back to the open Paypal window and pasted in the description and copied the coding for the candy wrapper.

After returning to Miller's Wrapped Expression open window, I clicked where I wanted to put the link and opened the HTML window. I scanned the coding for the description of the sample picture but couldn't find it. So I opened "Find on this page", typed in "lion" and hit the "find" button. Voila! There it was. I pasted the coding from Paypal beneath the picture name and clicked "preview". Ah, I did it correctly.

I did several before I realized I needed "Add to Cart" and assorted sizes rather than "Buy Now". No problem. I just went back, deleted all the "Buy Now" buttons from my web page and Paypal, and created new buttons after adding three different sizes of candy wrappers along with prices.

It wasn't easy but I managed to do it with little knowledge and a little reading.

Get a Cable Modem Free

Okay, so the title is a little bit misleading but I no longer pay rent on the cable modem supplied by my cable company.

How did I manage that? For the umpteenth time I got pissed off about paying monthly rent on the gosh-darn modem. I had been meaning to call the cable company but for an entire year I either put it off or forgot about it completely. Yesterday, I had had enough. After berating myself yet again for not having taken care of it a year ago, I finally hopped on my cell phone and called the cable company.

After going through their security checks ("Last four of your Social Security?", "Address?", "Are you Deborah Miller?"), the young lady finally asked what she could do for me.

"I've been one of your customers for two or three years. I was thinking of going out and purchasing a cable modem but I thought I'd give you a call first. I think you should give the one I've been renting and have probably paid for a couple of times to me."

"Yes. Uh-huh. Right. Can you hold for a moment while I ask my supervisor?" the young lady asked.

"Sure," I said though my reply went unheard as she was a quick little belle and had me on hold before I knew it.

"Thank you for holding. Yes, Mrs. Miller, we will take that charge off your bill but we will not give you credit for the difference for the rent you've paid versus the cost of the modem," the young lady said.

"No credit? I think I should at least get a twenty dollar bill," I replied.

Laughing, the young lady said, "I'm sorry. We can't do that."

"Then a free month's worth of cable."

Again the young lady laughed. She obviously didn't know I was serious.

"No, no. Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

"Nope," I responded.

"You have a good day then."

"Thank you."

And that is how I got a free modem.